exponential

I agree, this is the most sure-fire test for alcoholism. If you are not ready to know if you are alcoholic, don't do this test yet, because it will tell you.

I would modify the test slightly: pick a number N as a daily drinking limit that constitutes moderate drinking for you (based on your gender, weight, etc.), let's say N = 3 drinks. The test will be that you are free to drink, but you will not exceed 3 drinks in any 24 hour period, no matter what. (Just to make sure, the period of the test could be extended to 2 months or 3 months.) If you are alcoholic, you will not be able to limit yourself to 3 drinks every 24 hours, and it probably won't take a month to fail (i.e. exceed the limit).

Abstaining entirely for one month or more does not count as passing this test, for we know that alcoholics are capable of doing that. The idea is to drink as you desire, but limit the amount to a moderate level -- a level that gives you some distance from intoxication and establishes your ability to control your drinking.

If you fail the test, a further confirmation of alcoholism that will likely occur, is that you will repeatedly try to convince yourself that if you summon up just a little more effort and willpower, you will be able to pass the test the next time you try. I know because I attempted it probably dozens of times over a period of years. I didn't want to accept the conclusion.

jazzfish

I personally don't worry about the label. I see a definite link between my drinking and the problems in my life. I also have many years of experience of being unable to control my drinking to the point that I can avoid those problems. Additionally, while I don't always drink a lot, there is an ever present obsession and compulsion to drink that I do not think is normal. That is enough for me.

Crossfitdad

There is no doubt that I could do that, but it seems like too much work for me. If I'm gonna drink, I'm gonna drink on my own terms, not by some artificial restriction of one drink per day. Because no matter what the day will come where my friends and I want to go out and cut lose and get drunk (like normal people do) and I will not be able to, or if I do it will constitute a failure on my part.

I think that I have learned that while getting drunk is fun, the downside of hangovers and feeling anxious and guilty outweigh the fun. I've had enough beer in my life.

But, in the end, whatever works I guess.

DoubleBarrel

Just a consideration, but normal people don't think about their drinking.

The fact that you sought out an alcoholism forum to ask this question says that there is at least the beginning of an issue.

I am sure many of us said to ourselves that we had things under control for many many years.

The fact is, if you drink a significant amount of alcohol daily, you are doing damage.

exponential

There is a lot of thrashing on the question of exactly what the label "alcoholic" means, or whether it should be applied to a particular person. But the question of whether any particular person can control their drinking is a good one for that person to ask, if they are not sure, or are harboring illusions that they can. Because if you can't control your drinking, and you continue to drink, you are going to have a miserable life and eventually die of a terminal illness. There are of course many ways that you can kill yourself with alcohol without being an alcoholic, as well.

I have seen young people in DUI classes who have gotten into trouble because of alcohol and they don't have a clue what alcoholism really is, or about uncontrolled drinking, or the tendency to deny the problem, or any of those things. They think an alcoholic is a creepy person in an alley, or at a churchy AA meeting, or maybe it is a celebrity like Lindsay Lohan. They just want to get out of the class and go back to drinking and have everyone leave them alone. I wish I could get through to them, and get them to at least consider what their situation is (or might be), so they might save about 25 years of misery like I had to endure.

dharmakat

This is an excellent discussion. My two-cents: I spent 30 years trying to convince myself that I wasn't an alcoholic because I knew that, if I were one, I would need to quit drinking. Since I NEVER wanted to consider facing life without booze in it, I managed to delude myself that I was ok. I even managed to delude myself that this little discussion wasn't even happening in my head.

But those 30 years were lived with that insidious small voice telling me what I didn't want to listen to. And those years were also lived obsessing constantly about when I'd be having my next drink. See, the thing is, I was often able to manage **how much** I drank. It was incredibly necessary that I be able to do this so that I could keep that little voice at bay! No one (except maybe my husband) EVER thought I had a problem. I was just the fun girl who was always trying to get the evening started so that I could get to that first drink, which ALWAYS disappeared too fast, leaving me miserable because I was only going to allow myself to have one more and what I REALLY wanted to was to guzzle with impunity......

So, by some standards perhaps, I wasn't an alcoholic? Wrong. I lost my entire teen and adult life to this disease. "Cunning, baffling, and powerful" indeed. Listen: it's not the quantity. It's not whether or not you get drunk. In my trying-to-learn-to-be-humble opinion, it's first and foremost what happens to our brains when we drink. Mine lit up like Times Square every time it got a taste.....

May your journey be a sober one

EndGameNYC

Without resorting to labels, if you have a good reason to stop drinking but you can't do it on your own, then it's probably a good idea to get help in order to stop.

deeker

I believe people who do not have a drinking problem do not question whether they do or not. They just know they do not.
You came to SR for a reason, something brought you here.

Now you need to be honest about what that is. Or not.